"Finally, we've got everything sorted out - so how fast do you actually bowl? Naturally, the best thing possible to use would be a radar gun - however they're not generally widely available to clubs and schools - but there is a simple way that needs just a stopwatch and a calculator (or maths geek) to provide approximate results. Start the stopwatch when the ball is released, and then stop it again when either the batsman hits (or misses) it, then divide 45 (or 72) by your answer to get your answer in miles per hour (or kilometres). For example, a delivery timed at 1 second has travelled at about 45mph (72kph). To break the magical 100mph (160kph) barrier, the clock must register at 0.45 seconds. Once you get used to working the timer, you will get surprisingly consistent results. I've found that standing at the back of the net, either directly behind or just to the side, gets the best results."

For an U13, 45mph is very gentle and any competent keeper will stand up to it. You will also get treatment from most district+ level batsmen if you stray remotely. The "quick" ones at district level, at least in my experience at East Devon, will be 55-60 minimum. Of course, depending on the level you play at, the pace is almost irrelevant - as Goughy has said, bowl quick and spray it and good batsmen will take you to the cleaners. Bowl slow and straight in weak club leagues and you'll take 6/6 and all kinds of daft figures...

"Finally, we've got everything sorted out - so how fast do you actually bowl? Naturally, the best thing possible to use would be a radar gun - however they're not generally widely available to clubs and schools - but there is a simple way that needs just a stopwatch and a calculator (or maths geek) to provide approximate results. Start the stopwatch when the ball is released, and then stop it again when either the batsman hits (or misses) it, then divide 45 (or 72) by your answer to get your answer in miles per hour (or kilometres). For example, a delivery timed at 1 second has travelled at about 45mph (72kph). To break the magical 100mph (160kph) barrier, the clock must register at 0.45 seconds. Once you get used to working the timer, you will get surprisingly consistent results. I've found that standing at the back of the net, either directly behind or just to the side, gets the best results."

For an U13, 45mph is very gentle and any competent keeper will stand up to it. You will also get treatment from most district+ level batsmen if you stray remotely. The "quick" ones at district level, at least in my experience at East Devon, will be 55-60 minimum. Of course, depending on the level you play at, the pace is almost irrelevant - as Goughy has said, bowl quick and spray it and good batsmen will take you to the cleaners. Bowl slow and straight in weak club leagues and you'll take 6/6 and all kinds of daft figures...

We self-taught players can only sigh enviously. If only I'd known that lot when I was a li'l'un.

Bowl slow and straight in weak club leagues and you'll take 6/6 and all kinds of daft figures...

There's this guy who bowls on a Sunday for us. Just loops it, doesn't spin it or anything. Some weeks he'll get smashed for 30 odd off 4, other weeks he takes 2/3 wickets because batsmen are so desperate to smash it that they miss and get bowled or just play crazy shots.

Originally Posted by cpr

3. Although Cow Tipping is a hilarious student game in backwater towns such as Bangor, there really is no need for Mitchell to cover one side of the cow in superglue

There's this guy who bowls on a Sunday for us. Just loops it, doesn't spin it or anything. Some weeks he'll get smashed for 30 odd off 4, other weeks he takes 2/3 wickets because batsmen are so desperate to smash it that they miss and get bowled or just play crazy shots.

His deliveries sound a lot like the childish legbreaks from which W.G. used to reap such rich rewards.

There's this guy who bowls on a Sunday for us. Just loops it, doesn't spin it or anything. Some weeks he'll get smashed for 30 odd off 4, other weeks he takes 2/3 wickets because batsmen are so desperate to smash it that they miss and get bowled or just play crazy shots.

It's what I reverted to bowling last summer before my season was ended by my lack of correct wicketkeeping technique.

There's this guy who bowls on a Sunday for us. Just loops it, doesn't spin it or anything. Some weeks he'll get smashed for 30 odd off 4, other weeks he takes 2/3 wickets because batsmen are so desperate to smash it that they miss and get bowled or just play crazy shots.

They are the bowlers I get out to. It annoys me no end.

Originally Posted by Top_Cat

1) Had double pneumonia as a kid, as did my twin sis. Doctors told my parents to pray that we lived through the night. Dad said **** off, I'm an atheist, you ****s better save my kids, etc. Then prayed anyway.

Play 'em off the back foot. They're that slow that it gives you so much time. Unless it's a right half volley, stay on the back foot and it leaves you with eons of time to place where you want to hit the ball.

Play 'em off the back foot. They're that slow that it gives you so much time. Unless it's a right half volley, stay on the back foot and it leaves you with eons of time to place where you want to hit the ball.

Haha, was just about to say that. No shame in being beaten to the punch by Big Mac.

The one, the only CW Black

Code:

47.3 W Coppinger to Heads
Smacked the ball straight into the groin of Iwuajoku who has fallen over,
miraculously with the ball still caught in his scrotal area! Out!

There's this guy who bowls on a Sunday for us. Just loops it, doesn't spin it or anything. Some weeks he'll get smashed for 30 odd off 4, other weeks he takes 2/3 wickets because batsmen are so desperate to smash it that they miss and get bowled or just play crazy shots.

In the lower grades that sort of bowler generally seems to be far more succesful (with wicket-taking atleast) than a seamer of reasonable pace and quality.
Because the batsman try to go after them, arent good enough and make a mess of it.

Whereas if you bowl an excellent outswinger on off stump at 65mph the batsman simply isnt good enough to nick it...and on the rare occasion he is the slips arent good enough to catch it.

I've faced 140kph before. Surprisingly, I could see and follow the ball quite comfortably, but the reflexes were left behind somewhat.

Was this facing a bowling machine or a bowler ?

I've found against the bowling machine the ball always seems to be somewhat quicker than it is because you always pick it up later, there is no hand to watch and keep sight of the ball it just pops out of the hole and you dont properly pick it up until a couple of yards later than if it were a bowler.
Also where the bowlers arm is at release somewhat telegraphs the length of the ball and I reckon alot of batsman subconciously pick up on that, you dont get that with the bowling machine.

Have faced a bowling machine at 80-85mph and also a couple of seamers who are generally regarded to be around that pace and the bowling machine always feels way sharper to me.

The former (and it seemed quite inconceivable at the time that anything other than a mechanised monster could launch 'em that quickly).

Originally Posted by iamdavid

I've found against the bowling machine the ball always seems to be somewhat quicker than it is because you always pick it up later, there is no hand to watch and keep sight of the ball it just pops out of the hole and you dont properly pick it up until a couple of yards later than if it were a bowler.

There's an attractive thought; I might well have been facing up (intrepidly, of course) to the robotic equivalent of Shoaib.